SoftBank Unveils €75 Billion Initiative to Strengthen Data Center Infrastructure in France

SoftBank Group has revealed its intention to invest as much as €75 billion (around $87 billion) to enhance data center capacity in France.

This initiative aims to develop and manage an additional 5 gigawatts of data center capacity. The first phase will concentrate on building facilities in Dunkirk (Loon-Plage), Bosquel, and Bouchain, targeting a delivery of 3.1 gigawatts for the Hauts-de-France region by 2031.

As a major collaborator of OpenAI, SoftBank emphasized that this investment represents its largest commitment to AI infrastructure in Europe thus far.

French Economic Minister Roland Lescure characterized this announcement as a reflection of President Emmanuel Macron’s ambition to establish France as a pivotal player in the AI value chain.

In the U.S., rising resistance to new data center projects stems from environmental issues and potential effects on the electrical grid and utility costs. Nonetheless, SoftBank has already laid out plans for a data center in Ohio, backed by a newly proposed 9.2-gigawatt natural gas facility.